Tape-dispensing mechanism



Dec. 30, 1958 A. P. KRUEGER- 2,866,502

TAPE-DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed April 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY 9M- ATTQRNE Unite 2,866,502 TAPE-DISPENSING MECHANISM Application April 16, 1953, Serial No. 349,230 6 Claims. (Cl. 164-42) This invention relates to tape-serving machines, and more particularly to a device adapted to deliver a strip of gummed tape for application to packages, parcels, boxes or the like. Such tape is commonly made, of paper gummed upon one side and usually is supplied in the form of a roll containing a continuous strip of tape.

In machines of this character there is commonly provided some type of severing device which is adapted to sever the tape after a predetermined length has been fed forwardly by a pair of feed rolls, the tape normally passing between the rolls which exert sufficient pressure against it so that it is fed forwardly when the rolls are rotated.

A handle or lever is usually provided for operating the feed rolls, this member being pivoted so that it is oscillated to and fro about its pivot, the handle being provided with a one-way connection between the feed rolls so that when the handle is drawn forwardly, the rolls will be rotated in a direction to feed the tape forwardly, but when As illustrated in the patent referred to, the severing States I atet fl knife is carried by a pivoted knife carrier or frame, the

knife being mounted above the path of the tape and the frame being rocked downwardly about its pivot to advance the knife against the tape and sever the latter. The knife is thus moved across the path of the tape during a severing movement, and it is necessary to restore the knife to its original position above the tape path before a further feeding operation of the tape is effected.

Therefore, if the knife is actuated by the lever which actuates the feed rolls, it is desirable to have a lost-motion connection between this lever and the feed-roll-actuating mechanism so as to permit the lever to move forward slightly before the beginning of a feeding operation in order to insure that the knife is raised out of the path of the tape and so that the latter may be fed forwardly.

The present invention relates particularly to an improved feeding means or one-way connection between the actuating lever and the feed rolls, and particularly relates actuating lever and the feed rolls and a lost-motion connection in this mechanism so that the handle will be permitted a slight movement at the rear end of its return stroke before the beginning of the actuation of the feed rolls. Also, it may be noted that in the present instance this lost-motion or relative movement between the actuating handle and the mechanism for actuating the feed rolls will occur at any time the direction of the operating lever is changed from its return or rearward stroke to its forward stroke whether or not this change of direction occurs at the end of the return stroke. In other words, if the actuating lever is drawn rearwardly and'then forwardly again to deliver a further length of tape, the lostmotion will occur whether or not the lever be returned to the end of its stroke. This provides for universal apice- ' 2 plication of the lost motion'between the actuating lever and the tape-feeding means regardless of the position of the lever when its forward movement is initiated.

The present mechanism is particularly advantageous when great accuracy is. desired in the length of the strip of tape fed by the machine. Many machines of this character employ' a pawl and ratchet drive of some character between the actuating'handle or lever and the feed rolls which deliver the tape and" also employ a lostmotion connection which is desirable as previously explained on account of the knife operation. When a lostmotion device is employedwith such a mechanism the errors in accuracy of the machine, with respect to the length of the strip of tape which is delivered, may be substantially as great as the distance between two adjacent teeth on the ratchet wheel. That is, when the actuating lever reaches the end of its return stroke and starts forwardly, it is necessary to first take up the lost motion between the parts and to then engage the pawl with the next tooth of the ratchet wheel. It may be that the pawl will have to move a distance practically equal to that between two adjacent teeth before it engages the next tooth and initiates the feeding of the new strip of tape. In the present device, however, the feed means or the one-way connection between theactuating lever and the'feed roll is such that it will take hold immediately that the lost motion is taken up so that great accuracy is obtained.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved tapedispensing device of the character de-' handle or lever and to provide severing mechanism ac-.

tuated at the end of the back stroke of the handle, the connections between the handle and the feeding mechanism being such that lost motion is provided there- 'between at anytime'that the return stroke of the actuating-lever is stopped and a forward strokebegun.

T 0 these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: v

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a tape-dispensing mechanism embodying my invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing the feeding mechanism of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view showing part of the feeding mechanism;

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the inner face of the hub or cap employed in the feed mechanism.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment .of my invention I have shown a tape-dispensing mechanism comprising a casing 10 having rotatably mounted in the side walls thereof a shaft 11 to which is secured anactuating handle or lever 12.

Also rotatably mounted in the casing are upper'and lower feed'rolls 13 and 14, the former being mounted upon a shaft 15 and the latter being mounted upon a shaft 16, these shafts being rotatably mounted in the' mounted uponthe extended end thereof is a pinion 17 which meshes with a gear 18 mounted .on a shaft 19, the

is a sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

gear 18 having a pinion -20formed rigidly therewith, the teeth of which pinion mesh-with a gear- 21 rotatably mounted upon the shaft 11.

Pivotally mounted upon a rod 25 secured to the walls of the main frame 10 is a knife-earrying frame comprising a pair of arms 26 (only one of .whichis shown), these arms being connected at their forward ends by a knife bar 27 carrying the severingblade 28. Each of the knife arms is provided with a dependingrplate 29, which plates are connected together by transversely extending bars 30 and 31 in order to form a rigid knife carryingframe. Secured .to the shaft 11 is a cutteractuating. cam or lug- 32 (in practice two of these lugs may be employed, ifdesired-Jn spaced positions along the shaft 11),- which lug is adapted to contact the-bar 3! and swing the cutter in a counter-clockwise direction about the rod 25 from the position shownin Fig. 2 to a lowertposition'so as to sever the tape.

A coil spring 33 (two may be provided, if desired) is connected at one end, as at 34, to one of the arms 260i 2 the' knife frame and at the-other end, as shown at 35, to the lug-325 The intermediate portion of this spring is passed about a sheave 36 rotatably mounted in the frame, and in this instance loosely mounted upon the shaft 19 of the gear 18. It will be apparent that this spring, which is normally under some tension, serves the double purpose of maintaining the actuating handle in 1 its rearward position or in position to begin a feeding stroke and also of maintaining the knife blade in its upper inoperative position about its pivot 25, this position of these parts being shown in Fig. 2.

The tape is designed to be fed forwardly between the feed rolls 13 and Never a supporting table 37 upon which table rests a pressure plate 38 above the surface of the tape, the knife 28 cooperating with the forward edge of the table 37 to sever the tape. Adjacent the front portion of the frame is a receptacle 39 adapted to be filled with water to moisten the tape, the receptacle also containing a moistening brush 40Lover which the tape is delivered between the guide plates 41 and 42. The parts above described are all similar to corresponding elements illustrated: in my, prior patent abovereferred t0.

The mechanism which provides a one-way connection between the actuating lever 12 and the feed rolls 13 and 14 and which also provides a universally operating lost-motiondevice in this kind of 'mechanism will now be described. As has been stated, thegear 21 is looselymountedupon the shaft 11, and to this gear is secured a drum or barrel 44-of cup-shaped-form. -Secured to the shaft 11 by the pin 45 is a disk or spring hub 46 provided with a portion 47 i of reduced diameter which extends within the drum 44, the periphery of this portion 47 of the disk being spacedfrom the. inner surface of the drum. 1

The disk 46 is provided with a radially directed slot 48 and the reduced portion 47 of this member is embraced by a coil spring 49, which coil spring lies between the periphery of the portion 47 andthe inner surface of the barrel 44. This spring normally tends to expand to a sufficient extent to grip or bind frictionally against the inner surface ofthe barrel. One end of the spring is turned inwardly in a radial direction, as shown at 50, and is lodged within the radial recess 48, as shown in Fig. 3. It may be noted that this recess is considerably wider than the end of the spring so as to provide relative movement between the driving or actuating disk 46 and the spring.

The structure just described provides a one-way drive connection between the shaft ll and the gear 21; which is the driving gearfor the .feedrolls, and also provides a lost-motion connection between this shaft and the gear when the direction ofthe shaft is changed from a cl0ckwise direction to a counter clockwise direction, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The operation of the device will now be described. The parts-normallystand -in-the-position showninFigs. i and 2 as they are maintained in this position by the spring 33. In this position the radially extending end 50 of the spring is in substantial contact with the shoulder 51 on the right-hand side of the recess 48, as shown in Fig. 3, and the knife blade 28 is in raised position to permit feeding of the tape. The operator now grips the handle or lever 12 and moves it in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The shoulder 51 of the member 47 acts against the end 50 of the spring and tends to cause the spring to expand and bind tightly against the inner surface of the barrel 44. This effects rotation of the gear 21, and through pinion 20,. gear 13 and pinion 17 also effects rotation of the feed rolls 13 and 14 in a direction to deliver a strip of tape. i

As will be understood,means are. usually provided to limit the movement of the lever 12 so that a strip of the desired length will be dispensed. Upon release of the handle, the spring 33 draws the handle rearwardly or in a clockwise direction to returnit to its original position. At the beginning of this return stroke the hub 46 will move slightly with respect to the spring 49 so that the other shoulder 52 of the recess 48 will contact the radial end SEB of the spring. Return movement of the actuating handle 12 in this direction will tend to cause the spring to contract and, therefore, relieve its binding action upon the inner surface of the'drum 44, thus permitting return movement of the handle 12 without rotation of the gear 21 and without reverse rotation of the feed rolls.

However, whenever this return movement of the handle 12 is stopped and the handle is moved in a forward or tape-feeding direction, the lost-motion connection between the hub 46 and the spring, due to the Width of the slot 48 as compared to the diameter of the end 50 of the spring, will permit a certain. amount of forward movcment of the handle 12 to take place before any rotation of the gear 21 is effected.

As this movement is at the rear end of the return stroke of the handle 12 after the knife 28 has beenmovcd downwardly by engagement of the lug32 with the rod 30, this forward movement of thehaudleprior to any movement of the feed rolls will move the lugl32. in a counterclockwise direction and'permit .the'spring 33 to raise the. knife frame-about the pivot 25, and thus raise the knife 28 from the path of the tape so that there will be noobstruction of the tape feed. Moreover. with this arrangement this lost motion between the parts will occur whenever the direction or" movement of the lever 12 is changedfrom a rearward to 8.,fOI'WHId direction so that its occurrence is not limited ;to any one position of the lever 12.

It will be understood that as usual it is contemplated that means will be provided to limit the return stroke of the handle so that when drawn rearwardly by the spring 33, the handle will come up against a stop. This will, of course, stop the rotation of the disk 46. The movement of the spring 49 will also be stopped due to its friction with the drum 44 so that there will always be lost motion between thedisk and the spring on account of the width of the slot upon the beginning of the return or forward stroke. That is, the handle 12 moves forwardly a short distance from its stopped" position before the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 3 where the end 49/ of the spring lies against the shoulder 51 and the tape-feeding movement begins.

This small forward movement of the handleis eliected by the spring 33 notwithstanding the fact that the spring serves to move the handle rearwardly against the stop. The connections of the ends of this. spring with the mechanism is so arranged that the spring is at its shortest length when the handle or lever 12 is slightly forward from itsstopped position or in other words when it is sutliciently forward so that the shoulder 51 of the disk 46 lies against the end 500i the spring 4'), as shown in.

Fig. 3. Therefore, while the momentum of the lever as it is drawn rearwardly from its forward position by the spring 33 will carry it to the end of its stroke against the stop, the spring will pass by its shortest length and be slightly stretched so that it will return the handle a short distance in a forward direction. Thus, after an operative cycle of the device, the lost motion permitted by the slot 48 will be taken up due to this action of the spring 33 and the parts will come to rest with the shoulder 51 against the radial end 50 of the spring and delivery of tape will begin immediately upon a forward movement of the actuating lever.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. Driving means for a tape-dispensing machine having cooperating feed rollers, an oscillatable lever by which at least one of said rollers is driven in one direction, a shaft actuated by the lever, a movable severing member moved in one direction by said shaft to sever the tape, and return spring means to return the severing member to the position from which it was actuated, said drive mechanism comprising a barrel member mounted to rotate .on said shaft and drivingly connected to one of said rollers, a coil spring snugly disposed within the barrel member, means providing a lost-motion connection between the shaft and the spring, said means comprising a hub member mounted on the shaft having a face portion in opposed relation to the barrel member, said face portion having a slot therein and said spring having an end thereof loosely mounted in said slot whereby the direction of the lever may be reversed at one end of its stroke and permit the severing member to be returned to its normal position by said spring return means prior to actuation of said shaft by the lever.

2. Driving means for a tape-dispensing machine having feed rollers between which the tape is fed forwardly, a swinging cutter to sever the tape, an oscillatable lever having a forward and back stroke for driving at least one of said rollers on its forward stroke, means connecting said lever to said cutter to eifect a cutting stroke of the latter from a normal position at the end of the back stroke of the lever, and a cutter return spring to return the cutter to its normal position, said driving means comprising a shaft actuated by said lever, a barrel member mounted to rotate on said shaft and drivingly connected to said one roller, a coil spring snugly disposed face portion in opposed relation to the barrel member, said face portion being providedv with a radially directed slot therein, said spring having an end thereof turned radially and seated in said slot, and said slot being of greater width than the diameter of the end of said spring to permit relative movement between said hub and barrel upon the reversal of said lever at the end of its back stroke to allow the severing member to be returned to its normal position by said spring return means.

4. Driving means for a tape-dispensing machine having feed rollers between which the tape is fed forwardly, a swinging cutter to sever the tape, an oscillatable lever having a forward and back stroke for driving at least one of said rollers on its forward stroke, means connecting said lever to said cutter to effect a cutting stroke of the latter from a normal position at the end of the back stroke of the lever, and a cutter return spring to return the cutter to its normal position, said driving means comprising a shaft actuated by said lever, a barrel member mounted to rotate on said shaft and drivingly connected to said one roller, a coil spring snugly disposed within the barrel member, means providing a lost-motion connection between said shaft and spring, said means comprising a hub member mounted on the shaft having a face portion in opposed relation to the barrel member, and means providing a lost-motion connection between said face portion and spring to permit the cutter to be returned to normal position by its spring at the start of the forward stroke of the lever.

, 5. Driving means for a tape-dispensing machine having feed rollers between which the tape is fed forwardly and an oscillating lever having a forward and back stroke for driving at least one of said rollers on its forward stroke, said driving means comprising a shaft actuated by the lever, a barrel member mounted to rotate on the shaft and drivingly connected to one of said rollers, a spring connected to the shaft by a lost-motion connection and disposed within said barrel member to frictionally engage the inner periphery thereof whereby, when said lever is moved forwardly to rotate said shaft in a feeding direction, the spring will be caused to bind in driving engagement against the barrel member and drive the latter and said one roll, and when moved in the reverse direction the spring will be caused to contract and release said barrel member from driving engagement, said spring on said reverse stroke being in frictional engagement with the barrel member so that the spring is restrained against overthrow at the end of said reverse stroke, a cutter movably carried by the frame to sever the tape, means carried within the barrel member, means providing a lost-motion connection between said shaft and spring, said means comprising a hub member mounted on the shaft having a face portion in opposed relation to the barrel member, said face portion having a slot therein, and said spring having an end thereof loosely mounted in said slot whereby the direction of the lever may be reversed at the end of its back stroke and permit the severing member to be returned to its normal position by said spring return means prior to the actuation of said shaft by said lever.

3. Driving means for a tape-dispensing machine having feed rollers between which the tape is fed forwardly, a swinging cutter to sever the tape,- an oscillatable lever having a forward and back stroke for driving at least one of said rollers on its forward stroke, means connecting said lever to said cutter to effect a cutting stroke of the latter from a normal position at the end of the back stroke of the lever, and a cutter return spring to return the cutter to its normal position, said driving means comprising a shaft actuated by said lever, a barrel member mounted to rotate on said shaft and drivingly connected to said one roller, a coil spring snugly disposed within the barrel member, means providing a lost-motion connection between said shaft and spring, said means comprising a hub member mounted on the shaft having a by the lever to effect a cutting stroke of the cutter adjacent the end of the back stroke of the lever, and means to efiect return of the cutter to the position from which it was moved during the take-up of the lost-motion connection between the spring and shaft.

6. Driving means for a tape-dispensing machine as in claim 5 wherein said lost-motion connection between the spring and shaft comprises a hub member on the shaft having a face portion in opposed relation to the barrel member, and a pair of spaced abutments on said face portion between which one end of the spring is disposed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

